The End of Worlds
by Magic Beanstalk90
Summary: The world Faith Lehane knew has been destroyed. Camelot's world is broken, maybe beyond repair. But when Faith follows Dawn across time is it possible for them all to build a new world together?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I do not own anything but the words. Characters are all the property of their respective creators.

**A/N: **I know I have other stories that need updating but this story has been bouncing round my mind and making it impossible to write anything else. I'm hoping that writing this will free my creative juices and let me go back to my other stories!  
Please let me know what you think of this and if you want to read more. I'm a sucker for a review

The night seemed to bring with it a sense of mourning, like the blanket of darkness that enveloped them had brought a shroud of sadness with it. Arthur looked round the circle of people, huddled around the campfire. His heart felt heavy as he took in the pain and loss that was etched into their faces.

Camelot was lost. The mighty kingdom had fallen beneath the heels of Morgana and her twisted sister Morgause. Even admitting that to himself sent a shard of agony through his heart. Morgana, his beloved sister, had killed his father, her father too he had later discovered, and tried to kill him. If it wasn't for Merlin…. Arthur glanced over at the figure half hidden in the canopy of trees that surrounded them. He'd saved Arthur's life, saved all their lives if truth be told. If it wasn't for him Morgana would have killed them all. Arthur closed his eyes, picturing the scene that was carved into his soul forever.

Standing on the steps of the castle, Arthur watched in horror as Uther dropped to his knees before Morgana. The sounds of screaming and fighting faded away as he stared at them. Uther was crying, the tears running in rivers down his face as Morgana gazed at him with a look of hatred and disgust. Arthur could have never imagined a look like that on her face. His father raised his hand to her, pleading in a way that sent shivers down Arthur's spine. The great king of Camelot had been brought to his knees while his beloved kingdom crumbled around him. It was then Arthur saw the knife, glinting in the light of the flames that were raging through the town. He called out to his father, roaring his name across the courtyard as he ran towards them. But he was too late. The knife flashed once more before it's shine was dulled, stained with the blood of Uther Pendragon. Arthur skidded to his knees beside his father's collapsed body, tears in his eyes as he begged him to live. However, his father could no longer hear his son's pleading. Arthur screamed at Morgana, pleading with her to tell him why. She just smirked, an evil grin that had the cold fingers of death clenching round his soul. She gave no answer, she simply held up the knife.

"Look what I have learnt, dear brother, while you and your 'King' thought I was playing the good little ward." She spat the words at him with such venom that his mind could not comprehend that it was Morgana standing before him. She brought the knife before her face and whispered some magic words that Arthur could not understand. Her eyes flashed gold and he could only stare as the blade of the knife, the knife he had given her, set alight with an eerie green flame. She smiled to herself before facing Arthur again, the smile replaced with a look of hatred. With a quiet goodbye she lifted the knife and pointed it at him, her eyes nothing more than soulless voids. Arthur closed his eyes quickly and thought of Gwen, sending up a silent prayer for her safety.

However, the death blow didn't come. Peeling open his eyes he could only stare at the figure he found standing over him. Morgana looked at shocked as he felt, gaping at Merlin as he stood between Arthur and certain death. He truthfully hadn't thought Merlin had it in him. But the biggest surprise of all came as Merlin and Morgana engaged in battle… a magical battle. Arthur was paralyzed with disbelief as he watched them both throwing spells at each other with terrifying ease. Merlin held some kind of staff that tweaked at Arthur's memory and it was this item that allowed him to gain the upper hand. Sending Morgana flying across the courtyard with a blast of blue light from the staff, he quickly turned to pull Arthur to his feet while avoiding looking him in the eye. He led the shell-shocked prince through the ruined courtyard, past the knights who were fighting to keep Cenred's men at bay, through the gates of Camelot to where Gaius, Gwen and a few other knights had gathered.

Gwen rushed to his side instantly and his relief at seeing her temporarily overcame his shock. He held her tightly in his arms, whispering his love against her hair.

However, they could not stay that way for long. Morgause had called on the armies of the Old Religion to rise against Uther and they were ransacking their way through Camelot. Arthur led a few of his men back through Camelot, saving the few people they could and collecting as many supplies as they could recover before retreating back to where the others were waiting. Most people were trapped inside the castle where Morgana and Morgause were now hiding. Cenred was dead, killed at Morgause's command, along with Uther and others of Camelot's council. In the midst of the chaos Morgana had proclaimed herself Camelot's queen and named Arthur as a traitor to the crown. He, along with anyone consorting with him, were sentenced to execution.

The small group had fled into the woods, hidden by the forest until daybreak. That was where they now rested, huddled around a campfire. In the space of one night everything they all lived for was ash and rubble. Everything was twisted into a world where Morgana's cruelty reigned in Camelot. Tears sprang up behind Arthur's eyelids and he forced himself to hold his composure.

He was distracted from his torment by a gentle hand on his shoulder. With a slight smile he opened his eyes to see his Gwen sitting beside him, a million emotions shining from her big brown eyes though the foremost were love and worry.

"How are you feeling?" She asked softly and he just shook his head.

"Tonight has been a night of many changes. My feelings haven't quite had time to catch up." Gwen scooted closer and wrapped her arms round him as he put his arms around her. They sat like that for a while, staring into the flames as the night's events replayed in their minds. Arthur could only be thankful that Gwen had gotten out before the carnage had begun. If he'd have lost her…. The thought had him automatically tightening his hold on her, causing her to squeak in protest. He chuckled and leant down to kiss her, ignoring the sharp gasps from their audience. He was no longer Prince Arthur and it seemed unlikely now that he would ever be king so there was no reason for him to deny his feelings any longer.

The embrace only ended when she pulled back, ducking her head in embarrassment at such a blatant display of affection. His knights didn't seemed to mind and they let out a roar of approval that had them all laughing and made Gwen's blush grow fiercely. The laughter quickly died down though. This was not a night for laughing.

One of the knights, Sir Leon, seeming to have been nominated as spokesperson of the knights and as he edged forward, working up his courage. Arthur couldn't help but smile behind Gwen's hair.

"My lord? I'm sorry but… what happens now? Where do we go from here?"

Arthur looked at him for a few moments before turning his gaze on each of the other knights.

"Where do we go? Nowhere." He caught the looks of confusion on everyone's face and continued. "I have lived my entire life in Camelot and she has nurtured me well. Now in her time of need, will I run and leave her at the mercy of evil? No. I will fight for her, for everything she stands for…. for everything my father fought for."

Approving murmurs swept through the group and Sir Leon spoke again.

"So we will go back? Eradicate magic from Camelot once again?" A few cheers went up at this but Arthur hesitated, thinking of Merlin standing behind him. He'd been separated from the group since they'd reached the forest and Arthur had a good idea why.

"Our duty is to eradicate evil. If there are those using magic for darkness then we will eliminate them."

The others seemed unsure as to what exactly their plan was as another of the group spoke up.

"But my lord, we are so few and there is a whole army of them. Camelot is theirs and we cannot hope to take it back and survive."

Arthur shook his head. "Camelot will never be theirs. Camelot is not just stone and mortar. Camelot is an ideal, a hope that peace and prosperity can be achieved. WE are Camelot, right here, right now, willing to fight for our homes and our freedom. All who sit here now in this circle, we are all Camelot and we are all equal. We will fight, side by side and there may come a day that we die, side by side. But there will never be a day when Camelot dies."

A few seconds of silence followed his speech before their cheers filled the clearing. Smiling at each of those around him, he rose from his seat. After giving Gwen a soft kiss and basking in the light of her admiration for a moment, he moved over to where Merlin was hiding himself away. They stood in silence for a few moments before Merlin spoke.

"That was a very good speech. Very…. rousing."

"I'm glad you approve Merlin, that's just what I needed to hear." Arthur found that even in such tense times as these the urge to rile Merlin was unbreakable.

"I never wanted to lie to you." The blurted admission took Arthur by surprise and his pause was enough time for Merlin to continue. "I came here, to Camelot, hoping to get a new start but then all these things happened and I ended up as your servant even though I didn't want to be. You were an arrogant arse then. Still are actually." Arthur's snort of annoyance wasn't enough for him to stop his flow of speech. "But then I got to know you and I knew I had to protect you. Sometimes that meant using magic but if I'd have told you, you'd have had me killed. So I just… didn't tell you."

"So all those times something weird happened and you just happened to be there when it mysteriously fixed itself, you were actually using magic to look out for me?"

"Yes."

That small admission resonated within Arthur. It was like Merlin was afraid to say it out loud in case he did something like throw him onto the campfire.

"I always thought magic was evil, that it was dangerous and should be destroyed. But no one evil would stand by my side all this time, protecting me and no one evil would stand in front of me and face down death to protect me." He clapped him on the shoulder nearly knocking him over. "You're a friend Merlin. And you always will be."

They stood for a few moments in silence before Merlin pulled him into a tight hug. Arthur automatically stiffened before relaxing enough to pat the other boy on the back before pulling away.

"Merlin… I said you're my friend but if you ever do that again I will beat you to death."

Merlin chuckled but faltered as he caught the serious look on Arthur's face. After one more poignant look he moved back to his seat around the fire. Gwen had followed his progress, an apprehensive look upon her face. He smiled and squeezed her hand reassuringly, watching happily as the uneasiness melted from her features. Looking around the fire at all the people who had followed him from Camelot, he saw not just friends but his new family. Merlin who'd taken his seat next to Gaius, Sir Leon and his fellow knights, the few servants who'd managed to escape and Guinevere. They were his family and he had plans for his family to grow and rise up, all to bring down someone he had once called family. The thought had him tensing up again and Gwen's hand instantly reached for his. She leaned over to rest her head on his shoulder and whispered in his ear.

"We are Camelot."

Faith stepped through the doorway and let the door close behind. She let out the deep breath she'd been holding and felt a semblance of relaxation wash over her. It still didn't get any easier. Three years after the fall of Sunnydale, three years of Scooby meetings, Slayer training and the various apocalyptic disasters that popped up and she still couldn't get used to the feeling of having people around her. They were people she could count on, people she considered friends and thought of her in the same way but there were still times that the companionship got too much for the lone wolf within her. For most of her life being alone had kept her safe and the times she'd trusted in others had only served to prove that she shouldn't be around people. The one person she'd considered the exception to this was Angel.

Now she was a fully fledged member of the Scooby Gang, head slayer of the Scooby Organization and co-owner of the Magic Box. She looked up behind her at the sign above her head. The words 'Magic Box' was emblazoned for all to see and in Cleveland there was no shortage of people looking for magic supplies. The store also served as a front for the Scooby Organization, the group they'd set up to guide and train slayers across the world. All of the Scoobies were listed as co-owners but it was Giles who ran it, with help from Dawn. They owned stores all across the world and used them to fund their work with the slayers. It was an idea that had started with Buffy and one that had continued to grow after her death.

Currently the Scoobies were gathered in Cleveland, home of the largest Hellmouth in the world after the destruction of Sunnydale. They came together twice a year to discuss their current work across the globe and honour the past, including Buffy. Faith was the last to arrive to this meeting. Wllow and Kennedy had returned from England where they'd been working with the Coven to find other Slayers. Adaeze had been one of the first slayers they'd found after the Fall of Sunnydale and Xander had travelled to Africa to train her and help train other Slayers they found there. He'd needed to escape and grieve over Anya's death and three years later he was back to his happy, one-eyed self with a little help from Adaeze. Faith caught sight of them holding hands under the table and smirked. Dawn and Giles were arguing by the cash register about business stuff that Faith didn't even try to understand. She simply watched them with an amused expression. They were the only ones who stayed in Cleveland, guarding the Hellmouth and running their operations from Scooby HQ. Andrew was currently squealing from the back of the room as Rona held him in a headlock while Vi gave him a ruthless wedgie. The rest of the room ignored the ruckus, having learnt that nothing would prevent the Slayers giving the geek a hard time. Faith looked over them all and a sense of happiness wormed its way into her heart. It scared her, even now and she felt the overwhelming need for nicotine. She turned and walked back out of the store, heading for the convenience store down the street.

"Faith!" Dawn called out to her and she hesitated before turning back to face the younger woman. She was instantly enveloped in a tight hug which she awkwardly returned with gentle pats on Dawn's back. They pulled apart and Faith smiled at her. She was genuinely pleased to see her again. She'd grown close to the young Watcher, especially after Buffy's death. In the aftermath Dawn's anger had been focused on Faith, lashing out about her past actions against her sister but once her rage was spent she'd clung to the older woman. Uncertainty had clouded Faith's ability to help her but she'd done what she could and it had seemed to be enough. A year later she seemed to be doing much better.

"How's things Dawnie?" She received a shrug in reply and when she raised an eyebrow Dawn rolled her eyes and expanded her response.

"I'm alright. It's just tough, you know, seeing everyone here and knowing she's not going to walk in. It's… it's hard. But I'm happy to see you"

"I'm happy to see you too."

Dawn smiled before a puzzled expression swept across her face.

"Where were you going? You left before you even said hello. That's like a record for you."

"Actually I was just gonna grab some cigs. I'll be two minutes okay? Then we can catch up."

Dawn seemed reassured by this answer. Faith wondered how much of a flight risk they expected her to be. Granted she'd spent most of her time bouncing from town to town, country to country but she'd always returned for these meetings.

"Okay, see you in there."

Dawn ran back towards the store, disappearing inside as Faith headed for the convenience store again. She was in desperate need of her cigarettes now, especially if she had to get deep with Dawn. But she didn't make it to the store.

The explosion sent shockwaves through the entire street. Faith was knocked to her knees from the force that pummeled her back. The noise came a few seconds later, a boom that resonated in her chest and made her ears scream in protest. She fell forward onto her hands, groaning as her head spun. She couldn't focus properly but her mind was centred on one thought. She struggled to peer behind her and her stomach dropped as she realized that the Magic Box was no longer there. In its place was a pile of rubble and flames. She scrambled to her feet, screaming out names. At least she thought she was, her lips were moving but her abused ears couldn't hear anything but ringing. She stumbled forward and stopped before the shell of the store.

Her eyes were drawn to the inside of the building, a mess of debris littering the room. The windows had been shattered and the door was nothing but splinters. She could see straight through and she stared in shock at what she saw. Dawn was enveloped in a green glow that lifted her a few feet above the ground. Her eyes were closed and she didn't seem to be reacting to what was happening around her, she didn't seem to be reacting to anything. Before Faith could move towards her the light began growing in strength until Faith could only squint through her fingers. It grew and grew until it seemed to burst, a piercing light enveloping the room that burnt her eyes through her eyelids. When it disappeared and Faith could open her stinging eyes, there was no Dawn. No light, nothing. The panic and desperation she'd been fighting broke free and she dropped to her knees. She was lost in a sea of despair and she had no idea what to do now.

It was then that the people began milling around her, faces moving in her line of vision. They were obviously trying to talk to her but she couldn't focus. She couldn't think. She was staring at what was left of her family and realizing she had nothing. They were dead… weren't they? A slight ray of hope shone through her pain and she scrambled to her feet, pushing past people and ignoring their faint warnings. She ran into the building and tore through the debris, ignoring the heat from the flames. Someone could have survived. Dawn did. She threw broken furniture aside as she searched for any sign of life. She found none. She found bodies that she couldn't identify and threw up in a corner. She caught sight of dirty red hair fanning out from under a broken bookcase and stifled a sob. It was then she noticed the Scythe, half buried in rubbish. She scooped it up and held it close, cradling the last remnant of the Scoobies. Sirens broke through the ringing in her ears and despite her longing to remain with her friends she knew that she couldn't stay. Dawn hadn't died here, she'd been taken somewhere else and it was up to Faith to save her. She concentrated her whole being on that thought, focusing everything she had on that one realization before she gave in to her grief. With a silent apology to those that remained there she ran out of the back and away from her former life.


	2. Chapter 2

It took Faith three days to reach Los Angeles. A journey of running, hitchhiking and stealing her way across the country that passed by in a blur. She couldn't focus on her surroundings; she could only keep her mind on the one thing that was keeping her going. _Dawn. Dawn. Dawn. Dawn._

Finally she was there. The sun had set on the City of Angels when Faith stepped off the bus. She took a deep breath and crossed the street until she stood before the doors of the old hotel. It had been a long time since she'd been here. Too long. She'd kept meaning to visit but somehow it had just never happened. After the Senior Partners had unleashed hell on L.A and the Scooby Organization had stepped in to help out Angel and the gang, she'd spent some time with Angel as they recovered. That was two years ago. She'd only seen Angel once after that when he'd come to Cleveland after Buffy's death. They spoke on the phone but it wasn't enough. She needed his presence before her now.

She stepped through the doors and stood at the top of the steps, looking over the Hyperion Hotel. However her vision was suddenly blocked by a familiar face.

"Angel." She whispered his name under her breath.

"Faith." The emotion he conveyed with that one word told her he knew what had happened. The wall of strength she'd built around herself came crumbling down and she crumbled with it. She fell forward, dropping her duffel bag as she fell into his arms. She screamed and cried, howling her pain at him as he held her tightly. They stayed like that for a few long moments, her tears soaking his shirt until she didn't have the energy to cry anymore. Her sobs subsided into dry whimpers until they too faded into silence. She pulled back and looked at him, savouring his touch as he stroked her hair away from her face. She looked into those big, broody eyes and felt better than she had in days as she lost herself in their dark depths.

"I would ask how you are but I think that just about covered it." His voice broke through and she found herself chuckling at his words.

"Yeah. It's been a tough few days. Guess I was a little more wringed out than I thought."

"Anyone would be in the circumstances." The voice came from behind Angel and she peered over his shoulder to see the others gathered behind him. It was Wesley who had spoken and the look of sympathy on his face made her cringe. She didn't deserve pity from anyone, most of all Wesley. She pulled away from Angel's embrace and gathering up her bag she strode forward to meet them, drying her face on the sleeve of her jacket.

Wesley stood beside Illyria as they always did, ever since she'd returned his soul from the grip of the Senior Partners and their law team. Gunn stayed at the back of the group as if he was trying to hide himself in the shadows of the others. It had been especially hard for him after the war. He'd survived but he'd survived with fangs and a bumpy forehead. Even after Willow had returned his soul he still had a lot of issues to deal with, not least being turned into a creature that had killed his sister. Spike stood beside him. She remembered that he'd been the one to guide Gunn through the soul transition and keep him from throwing himself into the first sunrise. She could see pain etched in his features now and she realised he'd been close with the Scoobies once upon a time too. She felt bad that she hadn't thought how he'd be affected by their deaths.

Faith also noted the absences in the group. Lorne hadn't been seen since the war though Angel assured them he was alive and well. He wouldn't expand on his whereabouts anymore than that and Faith had learnt not to push him. Connor occasionally visited in between college and seeing his adoptive parents. Angel had confided in her about Connor's true identity while they were recuperating together after the war. She'd been astounded by the news but she'd met the kid and she'd eventually understood the reasoning behind Angel's decisions.

"Faith. I'm so..."

"Don't say sorry. Please don't say sorry." She told them, holding her hand up to ward off any other attempts at pity. "I know things are bad but I've got more important things to worry about right now. I need help with a rescue mission."

She could see the confusion on their faces and after she led them into the office she told them about what happened, including Dawn's freaky disappearance. They were obviously astounded and a shocked silence followed her story.

"I'm thinking the explosion may have been some kind of distraction ploy so whoever's behind it could steal Dawn and prevent anyone from coming after her. I don't know why yet but as soon as I find her I'm hunting those bastards down. I need your help to... what is it?"

She was puzzled by the concerned looks they were exchanging. She turned to Angel who was trying very hard not to meet her eyes. "What do you know?"

He hesitated before replying.

"We got a phone call... from Riley."

"Riley? What does he have to do with anything?"

"He told us about the problems you've been having with the military." She realised he was referring to the governments demands that the Scooby Organization be under the control of the military. They'd received many letters and military visits on the subject and they'd refused every one of them. She didn't comment though, she simply listened as he continued. "The government decided that if you wouldn't allow yourselves to be put under their jurisdiction then... you were going to be viewed as a threat. He found out about the plan to bomb the HQ but he was too late to stop it. He called us and asked if we'd heard from anyone. We thought everyone was dead until we heard the news reports that a dark haired woman had been seen running into the building before she'd disappeared. We knew it was you and... we realised everyone else was gone. So for now we've been organising temporary situations for all the remaining Slayers. Riley and Sam have left the military after this and they're travelling around the world contacting Slayers and sending them here or to safe houses. We're trying to keep the world spinning for you Faith."

Faith's head was spinning right at that moment. She couldn't believe it. The U.S government had murdered her friends. They'd saved the lives of every person in the world over and over again and they'd been killed simply because they couldn't be controlled. Anger bubbled inside her, dangerously close to the surface but she fought for control. She craved vengeance but a bloody rampage wouldn't help matters now. She had to focus on her original goal.

"Thank you." She struggled to speak, choking the words out as her inner turmoil raged. "I didn't even think about the others."

"We know. No one expected you to. That's why we're doing everything we can to help." Angel assured her, resting a hand on her knee. That slight touch would usually be enough to calm her but it was insufficient to soothe the tempest of emotions within her now. She forced a small smile for him though.

"Well I need your help to find Dawn now. Then when I go after her, I need you guys to keep doing what you're doing and protect the Slayers. If the government can bomb a room full of people, they won't hesitate to capture or kill the rest of the girls."

"I'm going with you."

The statement had all eyes turning to Spike. He sat with his head down and his hands clenched tightly together. There was a long pause before he expanded on his words. "Buffy meant everything to me. At the beginning I protected Dawn because she meant everything to Buffy. Then... then she was important to me too. If she's in trouble now, I owe it to her and Buffy to do everything I can to keep her safe. If it's the only thing I can do for Buffy then I'm doing it."

Angel and the others began arguing about this but his words had resonated with something deep in Faith. She'd forgotten about his feelings before in this and she refused to brush him aside again.

"Okay. I think I'm going to need all the help I can get." He looked up at her then, meeting her eyes in surprise. She held his gaze and eventually his expression softened in gratitude.

"Faith. I don't think that's a good idea. We have no idea where Dawn is and you'll need someone trustworthy at your back."

Spike stuck two fingers up at Angel in response to his words, almost prompting another childish bickering match.

"Angel. He cares about Dawn and he will do anything to make sure she is safe. I trust him to do that. He'll help me."

"And if it came to a choice between your life or Dawn's? He'd abandon you to save her."

Faith met Spike's eyes again and she saw that he didn't dispute Angel's statement.

"Good. I need someone who will put her safety first. I can take care of myself and if I can't... then I need someone who will get her out and not risk all our lives trying to save me too. You're the hero Angel, you couldn't make that choice. But he's already made it and that's what I need right now."

Angel seemed desperate to argue with her but he was wise enough to hold his tongue. It was during this pause in conversation that Wesley finally spoke.

"If we're going to find Dawn we need to figure out what took her in the first place."

Faith nodded, glad that they were thinking forward again.

"I have no idea. Magic's not my thing. All I know is there was green light surrounding her, she was unconscious and then she just disappeared."

"Was she harmed?" A furrow had appeared in Wesleys' brow and she pondered his question for a second.

"No. There wasn't a scratch on her."

"But she should have been harmed in the blast. The only way that she could have been completely protected is if they knew about the attack prior to it taking place and they took the necessary precautions."

"But the government didn't want any survivors. Riley would have known if they'd planned to capture someone." Angel told them.

"So how else could she have survived?"

"The Key was activated three days ago."

Illyria's words stunned everyone into silence for a few seconds.

"What are you talking about?"

"Three days ago the Key was activated. The magical effects rippled across the world and I felt it."

"Why the hell didn't you say something before?!" Spike's roaring outburst didn't even faze the God King. She simply cocked her head to look at him with her intense blue eyes.

"It wasn't relevant." She said it as if it was the simplest answer in the world. She didn't understand that it meant anything and Faith fought the urge to beat its relevance into her stupid blue face. Luckily the urge quickly passed as a realisation dawned.

"I'm so stupid. Why didn't I remember it?" She slapped the palm of her hand against her forehead before she faced the others. "Dawn told me that Willow had been working on a new protection spell for her. Dawn's ability to find trouble was so powerful that the protection spells she put on us just weren't enough for her. So she created a spell that would tap into the power of the Key to protect her. It would activate if her life was threatened, like if she was caught in a bomb blast. I didn't realise it had gone past the experimental stage yet."

"So the Key activated, protecting her in the green light then transporting her to safety."

"Exactly! She's got to be alive somewhere!" Faith grew more animated as the thought of Dawn's safety filled her with hope.

"Illyria, you can sense the Key's power yes?" The demon nodded in response to Angel's question. "So can you track it from Cleveland to wherever it ended up?"

She nodded but made no other comment. They all sat staring at her, an air of expectancy filling the room until Wesley rolled his eyes.

"_WILL_ you follow the trail to help find Dawn?"

"I will. Because it fascinates me to see the Key's power wrapped in such a delicate shell without fracturing." She was obviously thinking of her previous problems with containing her essence in Fred's fragile human body. Eventually she'd contained most of her power by transferring her individual abilities to the magic stones she now wore attached to her suit. She could access it but it didn't cause city-wide devastation if she used it.

Before anyone else could comment she waved her arm, creating a portal in the middle of the room. Faith could see buildings on the other side and recognised the street in Cleveland where the Magic Box had stood. She had to look away. The street held too many painful memories now. Illyria stepped through and the portal closed, leaving an awkward silence behind her.

"That thing is a pain in the ass. Why didn't you kill her again?" She asked Angel.

"Because she packs a mean punch."

"Fair enough."

The portal opened again and Illyria returned.

"The Key is in the past. She is in England, in the kingdom of Uther Pendragon to be precise."

They all stared at her. They kept staring at her.

"Does this news not please you? You wanted her found, she is found." And with those final words she walked out of the office.

"The past? Dawn's in the PAST?! Why the hell would the Key take her there?" Faith's outburst seemed to coincide with the questions in everyone's mind. Wesley was the only one who didn't seem focused on that particular conundrum. "What you thinking, Watcher man?"

"Umm. I'm a little worried about where Dawn has ended up. You see... Uther Pendragon was the father of Arthur Pendragon. Also known as King Arthur of Camelot, the Once and Future King."

Jaws dropped as they digested this information.

"Dawn's in Camelot? As in 'Round Table', 'Excalibur', 'Merlin' Camelot?" Wesley nodded and Faith sighed. "Wow. That's great, that's just great."

"Can you get us there?" Spike directed his question to Wesley who squirmed a little.

"It's very complicated. There are lots of factors with time travel and not everything's guaranteed. There can be problems..."

"Can you do it or not?" Spike interrupted his rambling.

"Yes. I can do it."

"How long?" Faith asked him.

"Give me six hours, give or take. It depends on how co-operative Illyria chooses to be."

Faith nodded and smiled at him.

"Then get it done Wes. We're counting on you. I'm gonna go get some rest."

With that she swept out of the office and headed for one of the bedrooms upstairs. She doubted she'd be able to sleep. Behind closed eyes were visions that she'd rather forget about. However she needed rest if she was going to be at her fighting best in the past. The thought had her head spinning again so she tried to forget. Once she found an empty room with a bed made up she flopped onto it and buried her face in the pillows. In six hours she was going to Camelot and leaving this broken world behind.

**Camelot, A Very Long Time Ago**

Dawn didn't know where she was but before she even opened her eyes she knew something was wrong. She could feel hard ground against her back, grass brushing her bare arms. She could smell trees and earth and nature. They were all things she didn't expect to find on a busy Cleveland street. Bird song reached her ears along with a strange clanking sound. It was confusing to her. Hell, it was all confusing to her but that niggled at her the most. She peeled open her eyes and blinked quickly as the light stung her eyes. She raised a hand and rubbed them, ducking her head to avoid the direct glare of the sun. She groaned softly before she risked opening them again. The first things she saw were feet. Big feet. Her gaze moved up over shining armour and nasty looking weapons. She kept her eyes moving up and up until she met the eyes of the giant standing before her. He held his sword by his side, not threatening but warning her. She could tell from the strong grip he had on the hilt that he knew how to use it. She was completely at his mercy as she lay sprawled on the ground in the middle of what looked like a very big field.

"Oh crap."


	3. Chapter 3

It had taken seven hours in total for Wesley to create the spell that would send Faith and Spike to the past. He'd toiled through the night with Illyria by his side until the sun had risen above the buildings. After fond farewells and childish insults, on Spike's part, Wesley had ripped open the portal with a lot of cursing and sweating. It was harder to create time portals than the films led people to believe apparently. So they stepped through the opening and everything changed. The step was such a simple action, a motion that people completed hundreds of times during a day. They simply moved forward and the world shifted. Everything else fell away around Faith as she became intensely focused on herself, all her hopes, dreams and fears were laid bare before her. She saw what she was, what she had now become and what she could be in the future. She was walking through time but her awareness was confined to her own personal being. She glanced over at Spike beside her and saw the look on his face that said he was experiencing a similar epiphany. A vague thought passed through her mind about selling these trips as counselling.

Then the world shifted again. It started as a small incline rising behind them. The non-existent floor beneath their feet was lifting gradually, higher and higher until they were skidding down the slope on their heels and fighting for grip. Eventually, with nothing to hold on to, they couldn't stand anymore and they fell forward into the abyss. They dropped into darkness, a deep well of nothingness. Faith could not think or feel, she could only embrace the nothing. For the first time in days she was at peace but she could not recognise the sensation because of the nothingness preventing her from understanding or even feeling emotion. They were flying through time, falling further and further into history.

They hit the ground with a thud. It was enough to knock the wind from both of them and they lay face down groaning and clutching at their bodies. Faith peered around her, confusion and panic instantly setting in. From what she could see they definitely weren't in Camelot, unless the city was on the set of a sci-fi movie. The room they'd landed in reminded her of the stories Gunn had told her about the White Room. It was an expanse of glistening pearl on every surface. The walls, the floor and even the ceiling shone with a bright white brilliance. She felt the petulant urge to smudge dirt on the floor and see what happened. She pushed herself up to standing and reached down to help Spike do the same. They shared a look of concern before turning to gaze around the empty room.

"You guys weren't who I'd have liked to see but you'll do."

The voice seemed to echo around the room, a feminine voice that tugged at Faith's memory. They spun round trying to find the source before their eyes were drawn to the wall opposite them. It was bending and shifting at one spot, bursting outwards until it formed the shape of a person. As it moved forward, separating from the wall it grew more solid and features began forming until it became the recognisable shape of a woman.

"Cordelia Chase. Heard you'd crossed over, pet." Spike's acknowledgement snapped Faith out of her state of shock. She stared at Cordelia's smiling face, wondering if she was going to understand what the hell was going on.

"I did. But the Powers that Be weren't finished with me so here I am." She held up her hands and waved at their surroundings.

"Where exactly is here?"

"Hi Faith. Nice to see you too." Faith's rolled her eyes at her sarcasm before Cordelia continued speaking. "We're in a between place. A bridge between time, space, dimensions, you name it. Every road to anywhere crosses here. This was the only place I could talk to you."

"Why do you want to talk to us? What does it matter to you?" Faith's naturally suspicious personality couldn't allow her to relax, despite her secret pleasure at seeing her old frenemy.

"It's a long story. To explain I need to start at the beginning... or the end, whichever way you look at it. See, when I died on Earth I should have passed over to wherever the hell an ex-prophet would go. But the Powers that Be offered me a choice. I could go to the afterlife and eventually be reborn. _OR _I could fulfil the destiny I should have had before that bitch Jasmine screwed with it. I was supposed to become a higher being, just not in the way that I did. So I chose the latter option."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"I'm getting to it! Jeez! Anyway, I became a higher being and I've been working with the Powers on things I can't discuss with you. Let's just say I've been guiding and helping things around the world. I've even managed to persuade the Powers to start taking a more active role in helping their Champions. I've been down there and seen their treatment first hand and I convinced them that their service was shitty."

"Get to the point, Cordy." She threw a scowl Faith's way before she returned to the original topic.

"Something's happening in Camelot. Something has been jumping dimensions and destroying history. The only thing we know about it is that it seems to gain power from ending particular time lines and feeding off the energy of destinies unfulfilled."

"So you think this thing is headed to Camelot, to steal the destiny of King Arthur?"

"It's already in Camelot. That's why we sent Dawn there."

An expression of outrage swept across Faith's face and from Spike's sudden tenseness she guessed he would be wearing a similar expression.

"_YOU _sent her there? Why? How?"

Cordelia's eyes showed a fountain of sorrow as she looked at Faith.

"There was nothing I could do about the bomb, to save them. It was a human consequence and no matter how much I screamed and fought, they wouldn't let me change it. But Dawn survived, thanks to Willow's spell tapping into the energy of the Key. I was able to manipulate things so she would end up in Camelot. They're unprepared for what they could be facing there. They need Dawn's help and I knew you would follow her. That's why I helped Wesley. He was doing okay by himself but I just gave him that extra nudge."

"You're playing with us, with humanity. We're just pawns to you now huh? Being a higher being changed you, love." Spike's comment was dripping with disgust and Cordelia's eyes flashed with anger.

"I'm trying to help! I'm doing whatever I can to keep people safe!"

"Then you should have saved them, saved Buffy! And you should have saved Gunn. And you should have saved Fred! She was your friend and her soul got destroyed because you couldn't '_help' _us save her."

"I did save her, you peroxide jack-ass!" This admission stunned everyone into silence. Tempers were still flaring but confusion was on the minds of the time travellers until Cordelia explained. "Fred's soul should have been destroyed when Illyria took over her body. I wasn't in time to stop the whole process from happening, I was still in transition. But as soon as I came out, I tried to. But she was too far along. So instead I saved her soul. At the exact point Illyria's essence took over and Fred's soul should have burned I took it and kept it safe. I made sure it was reborn into a nice, happy life that was quiet and peaceful, just like she deserved. That's why Illyria has so much trouble containing the Fred persona. Her body knows that its rightful owner is still out there somewhere and its fighting for control. It's Illyria's penance for what she did."

Faith couldn't help but be pleased that Fred had survived in some form. She'd only known the girl for a short time but she had a unique sense of goodness that Faith had liked. Spike had been closer to her and the relief on his face told her he was more affected by this news.

"Thank you. She does deserve some peace."

Spike's gratitude made Cordelia smile softly and she nodded her acknowledgment.

"So what happens now? We go to Camelot, save Dawn, stop this thing then come home." Faith questioned the other woman, feeling restless in this strange place.

"That's up to you. I can send you forward or I can send you back. The choice is yours."

Faith and Spike looked at each other and that one glance was enough.

"We started this journey for a reason and we're gonna finish it for the same reason. Saving history is just a bonus."

"Let's do this." Faith added her confirmation to Spike's, making Cordelia grin.

"Who'd have thought it would be you two? William the Bloody and the Rogue Slayer becoming Champions for the Powers that Be. This is a momentous occasion, I feel like there should be fireworks or something."

"Yeah yeah, just do what you've got to do and send us on our way."

"Not just yet. You are now Champions, _THE _Champions actually. You deserve gifts to reflect that."

"Can I have a Gameboy? I loved those when they first came out."

"No Spike, not that kind of gift."

With no other explanation Cordelia reached in to a fold in the long, white flowing robe she was wearing and pulled out a ball of sunshine. That was the only thing Faith could think to describe what was glowing in her hand. It shimmered and moved as if it was alive, shining beams of light that flickered across the room. They were too busy being mesmerised to register Cordelia's movements until she'd already thrown the ball at Spike. It hit him in the chest and exploded bathing him in an intense golden glow as he screamed in pain.

"Spike!" Faith called out and moved forward towards him but her motions were halted when the light disappeared and a panting Spike was left un-glowing.

"What the bloody hell was that?" He demanded.

"You are now the only vampire in existence with the power to walk in the sun. To be totally honest, I've immunised you with a spark of sunlight so that during the day it won't harm you."

"Seriously? I'm a day walker?" Cordelia nodded, causing Spike to break out into a goofy grin. "Check it out Faith, I'm Blade!"

Faith rolled her eyes before tensing as Cordelia turned to her. She watched her movements warily.

"Relax. I'm not going to throw anything at you. I just want to bless the Scythe." Cordelia held out her hand and Faith was astonished to feel the weapon pulled from her grip and watched as it sailed into Cordelia's outstretched palm. Her fingers closed around its handle, the weapon shone with white light before it disappeared, returned to Faith's grip. She stared open mouthed between the Scythe and Cordelia.

"All done. Now you have a weapon no other Slayer has ever had. Not only is the Scythe powerful in itself but it's now a conduit to other slayers. All the warriors that have gone before and all that are yet to be, their power is stored within the Scythe. In times of great need you can now tap into that power."

"So I'll be a super-slayer?"

Cordelia nodded. _Super-Slayer. Huh._ The thought scared Faith. She didn't cope well with power.

"So are you ready to go?" Faith looked over at Spike who nodded in response to Cordelia's question. "Then your journey waits. The door you want is over there." She pointed at the large black door that had appeared in the wall behind them. "Good luck guys. I'll be watching."

With that she turned to walk away, already fading around the edges as she moved towards the wall she had come from.

"Wait!" Faith's exclamation made her pause and peer at them over her shoulder. "He still loves you. Even now. He misses you."

Cordelia knew who Faith was talking about and tears sprang into her eyes. She brushed away the tear that fell onto her cheek and smiled.

"Thank you."

Then she was gone and they were left alone to face their journey. They strode up to the door and flung it open. Darkness loomed in the doorway and they both shared an uncertain glance before determination propelled them forward. With a deep breath (in Faith's case) they leapt through the doorway and were once again falling into the abyss of time.


End file.
